AT Job Crisis

[mainelydave]

Take the job and get rid of debt. It's an effin anchor. Another year will establish your credentials in the field and you'll likely be able to take six months to do the trail next year.

[shawnlakenorman]

Wish I was 22 again with job offer. I want to walk the AT. I am 50. Taking care of my mother. With no end in sight. Can't work and am miserable. Trying to find the light. If day of the job offers much potential go for job and do section hike to practice. But when you get to 50 time gets shorter and choices are fewer. Hard call. I agree follow your heart and desires. Do anything you do for you.

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[DavidNH]

i tend to agree. Don't take a six month vacation when you have 26K in student debt. The trail will always be there.

[Tennessee Viking]

Take the job. The trail will always be here.

[QHShowoman]

Take the job. Do whatever you can to minimize your expenses and pay that debt off as quickly as possible. Make sure you call your lenders and set your monthly repayment amount as high as you can afford. Don't just take the amount they set for you. If you get any lump sum bonuses, etc., pour it into paying off that debt.

I say this because I graduated college with about $30K in student loan debt. I have been paying that debt steadily for 15 years. I've never missed a payment and have had a good career/compensation trajectory and I've only repaid HALF that amount. The interest is a killer. If I were younger, I would've cashed out one of my 401K while in my 20s, taken the tax hit, and used it to pay back this stupid loan. Now that I am in my 40s, I feel like that's not a realistic option.

[Gambit McCrae]

To the OP, I was in exactly the same situation as you in 2011. I took the job, and I will regret it for the rest of my life.

No body on their death bed says "man I wish I had worked more days", If you can get that job, you can get ANOTHER job after your hike. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity in life to a working man.

[marisajane]

To the OP, I was in exactly the same situation as you in 2011. I took the job, and I will regret it for the rest of my life.

No body on their death bed says "man I wish I had worked more days", If you can get that job, you can get ANOTHER job after your hike. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity in life to a working man.

^ this.

And, if your job offer isn't in your field, ie your absolute dream job, is it worth putting off a dream for? It sounds like a pretty generic work situation, of which there are and will be plenty more. Plenty of folks have said "the trail will still be there"- so will your debts. A year of work at the non-dream job will lessen them how significantly?

Disclaimer: I'm a follow your heart kind of person. Make the bold move! while you have the opportunity. And good luck!

[shelb]

Take the job.... reevaluate in one year...

[Dogwood]

Thank you so much for all of the advice. It helps to hear from all walks of life and points of view. Further clarification for those interested. I majored in Theatre production with an emphasis in lighting. I'm a light technician on board a Royal Caribbean ship. I've saved 5000 for loans and 5000 for the trail since the start of my contract in June. The job I got offered is with an aquatic staffing company in Columbus Ohio. Regional Manager of a branch. I'd be in charge of 100 plus employees and quite a lot of money. Although this isn't in my field, I enjoy the work and I'm not sure what I want my field to be.

For those interested, Cruise ship work isn't bad for someone in entertainment like me. Some days I can get away with working 4 hours, while others I work 14. It just depends. It's an interesting field to fall into and you can travel where ever you want for free. I'm on a 6 month, 3 week contract but I extended to 8 months due to the huge need for light techs and any other Theatrical workers. That being said, if anyone needs a job on a cruise ship, or has any questions about them, feel free to message me or reply to this thread and I'd be happy to help you out!

Fresh out of college with a $26K student loan you're fretting about the job sounds juicy to pass up. It sounds like it is related to your Theatrical Production education and certainly IS in line with your educational emphasis in Lighting Design/Lighting Technician. Plus, you said: "can travel where ever you want for free", which satisfies some of that current wandering nomadic see the world spread your wings desire that seems like has a hold on you after several yrs in school, "I've saved 5000 for loans and 5000 for the trail since the start of my contract in June", which could largely be applied to knocking down a huge chunk of that $26K, while the ship life pays for your room and board, allowing to bank more, "I'd be in charge of 100 plus employees and quite a lot of money", two GREAT IN HIGH DEMAND skills to have particularly if you expect to steer your career towards Theatrical Producing but can be utilized for an infinite number of other career building paths, the MONEY MANAGEMENT aspect of the term position will carry over into your personal financial life, GREAT resume builder listing yourself as a Regional Manager of 100 plus employees on it in the event you do decide to reevaluate after the 8 months and take several months off work to hike, "I enjoy the work", YOU ENJOY THE WORK, and "I'm not sure what I want my field to be", so this gives you some valuable resume and skill building while possibly helping to decide on a more focused direction, IF that is what you want. In 8 months reevaluate. BUT, AT LEAST, you put yourself in a good place/BETTER place to hike IF you do that after 8 months.

BTW, $26K is NOT a death sentence! It's likely more of a beginning as you're likely not married, have children, pay a steep mortgage, have huge medical bills, bust a nut with a big overhead, etc.

If the $26K student loan debt is too heavy a financial burden looming over you and you want to hike DO NOT conventionally pay it off... OR YOU COULD GET LOCKED IN LONGER TERM THAN YOU REALIZE eventually saying" WHERE DID THE YRS GO, NOW I'M MARRIED, HAVE EVEN BIGGER DEBT, HAVE GREATER COMMITMENTS, NO LONGER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIKE, ETC?" Carefully consider, after that 8 month contract, possibly options to reduce that debt or discharge it involving a short term commitment with STUDENT LOAN CANCELLATION/FORGIVENESS OPPORTUNITIES. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-l...s-cancellation I did it!

BTW, have known two Theaterical Lighting Techs, one who worked for Madison Square Garden and one touring with well known rock bands, another who was a Movie Lead Set Construction Director/Lead Carpenter, and two others involved in set construction. They often had large chunks of time off to do section hikes, travel, run side businesses, etc.

[egilbe]

What is with the random capitalized words, Dogwood? Makes your posts annoying to read. Your advice is usually pretty good.

[Manymiles]

You have the rest of your life to work and be responsible. Follow your passions and dreams and everything will work out. If you want to hike, then hike. Jobs are like cars they come and go. Tomorrow is promised to no one. Listen to the real you and never look back

[Biggie Master]

The only opinion on this thread that matters is YOURS. You have to live with the consequences of your choice, and that will be true for every decision you make for the rest of your life. Hike or work? You have the rest of your life to do both, so take in all of this feedback and make the decision that is right for you.

[Starchild]

Very easy decision - is the job fulfilling for you? On a cruse ship you get to visit places and meet people, so that may be they ideal job for you and perhaps what you need to do. However if it's 'work' then yes unquestionably do the AT, live the live you are meant to, that is the only to live.

If your 'work' (meaning what you get paid for) converges with the term 'play' (what you were meant to do, love to do, and don't feel it a burden) you are where you are suppose to be, everything else is a distraction from living up to your potential.

Since your job may do this they go for it, if not the trail is calling you to better things, and if you are on the right path amazing doors will open up for you.

[Starchild]

What is with the random capitalized words, Dogwood? Makes your posts annoying to read. Your advice is usually pretty good.

I knew someone who practiced witchcraft (for real) and would use such a method of conveying 'subliminal' messages. Not saying it is here, but there you go.

[Poedog]

Eat your best dinner tonight.

[New England Guy]

I would never advise someone on such a personal decision, do what feels right. I have figured out that basically there are two pursuits in life. The pursuit of money and wealth, or the pursuit of happiness. Do what works for you. If you end up puttting off the hike, make a plan to do it sooner rather than later. When I was your age, I desperately wanted to attempt a thru, but I never had the patience or the attention span to make a plan and stick to it. I promised myself I would give it a shot before I turned 30!!....I will be turning 40 this summer, hopefully right around Harpers Ferry at the (mental) half way point of my thru!!! My point is time has a way of getting away from you. When the time is right, you'll make it a priority, and you'll be out on the trail.

[Tesla33]

All,

Thanks again for all of your help. I've gone back and forth many times on this and I've decided to take the trail. Turning down the job kills me, but it's 1. Not in my field. 2. Not that much money. and 3. My heart says hike the trail. I don't want to look back when I'm fourty and wish I would have done that. A few people made me get into that mindset on this thread and like to thank them for that. My loans are not as bad as they could be and I have enough money, 5k to pay off quite a big portion in my time I hike the AT.

I wish you all well on your trips.

[Casey & Gina]

I faced the same temptation. Caveat: I don't have debt, or more accurately the little I do have will be gone and I'll have some savings in the bank by the time I quit my current job. But I was offered another one with a rather significant pay raise. Because of the potential salary, I entertained the idea for a while, but ultimately turned it down explaining that I wanted to take some time off. Hiking the trail, sooner than later, is more important to me.

It really depends on what matters to you most, and whether you can afford to do the hike with the resources you have now. If you do take the job, don't get attached to it, and be as frugal as you can and just use it as a tool for saving money and paying down your debts. Keep your dream alive and put whatever you are able out of each paycheck into a fund to support that dream. Be able and willing to walk away from that job a year later without any guilt.

Jobs will always be there. The trail will also always be there. Your own motivation and condition of health may or may not be. Once you get caught up in the "career" cycle of jobs, it can be hard to step away from, especially if you are lured into spending all that extra money you are making rather than saving it.

[Jowy]

I'm in the same position as you buddy, I graduate in May, have debt, and job opportunities.

My reasoning. A lot can happen in two years that can change your circumstances and create responsibilities that you can't walk away from, kids, jobs, mortgages etc. Which is why hiking the AT and travelling now.

All you have to ask yourself is what are your priorities, mine go like this

1) Start doing the things I dream about, while I still definitely can
2) Go into the rat race when my desire for money outweighs my desire for adventure

I'm from England, if you don't earn over 15,000 pounds/$22,000 a year you don't have to pay back you're student debt bear that in mind with my reasoning, because I don't know what the situation is in the States.

[Offshore]

All,

Thanks again for all of your help. I've gone back and forth many times on this and I've decided to take the trail. Turning down the job kills me, but it's 1. Not in my field. 2. Not that much money. and 3. My heart says hike the trail. I don't want to look back when I'm fourty and wish I would have done that. A few people made me get into that mindset on this thread and like to thank them for that. My loans are not as bad as they could be and I have enough money, 5k to pay off quite a big portion in my time I hike the AT.

I wish you all well on your trips.

Smart choice - but I do have to say that hitting forty isn't exactly the same as having a foot in the grave! (Well maybe from the perspective of a 22 year old, it is...)